Open Thread: Let's Get the Petty Out!
We all know the big problems of the world that are tearing us up. Let's bond over the little ones.
I’ve realized recently that when I see a vent on Threads about, say, the frustration of having to wait for someone to unlock a cabinet in the drugstore just to buy shaving cream, the unanimity of agreement that follows is a relief.
Hundreds or thousands of us agreeing that the Kars 4 Kids jingle makes us want to gouge out our eardrums? More of that, please.
I was making small talk with a woman next to me on the subway the other day. I had no idea what her politics were, who she was supporting in the election, or how she felt about they/them pronouns. But I do know that we both hated the person across from us eating a stinky sandwich and that was enough for us to become unshakeable allies in our unwavering hatred of tuna melts at that particular moment.
When the world feels as divided and polarized as it does now, I’ve realized I’m finding some necessary relief — elation, even — in small moments where we can all come together and agree on something, no matter how silly or petty.
In fact, the smaller and pettier the better.
People who say “impordant.” Tip jars at self-serve counters. The dumb new lowercase typeface for Instagram hashtags.
PETTY.
What else?
Let’s find the smallest, stupidest pet peeves and petty grievances, let them out, come together, and celebrate our shared loathing of stupid things.
I’ll add some more because really, I have loads of them:
Tourists who stop on the platform like a deer in the headlights right in front of the closing subway doors close and make you miss your train.
The unnecessary addition of the word “of” in the Empire State of Mind lyric: Concrete jungle where dreams are made of.
The need for a minimum of 3 remote controls, including the “universal remote,” to turn on any TV these days.
The cost of razors.
Your turn!
Enough already with pennies. They cost more to make than they’re worth, and no one wants them. Just round the cost of everything up or down to the nearest five cents. It’ll all average out.
Random NYC bonding: crowded left turn from 5th ave onto 8th street. Lots of traffic b/c of a street fair (PETTY ANNOYANCE), some dude in an expensive car was honking and honking and honking into the stand-still line of cars. As the cars finally began to move, the car turned in front of me & the woman next to me; without a word, we both clocked the car's license plate, turned to each other and said in unison "TEXAS." And then walked our separate ways, bolstered by our shared sense of having diagnosed a case of toxic Texas masculinity.